We have been watching videos about Islam to get a basic understanding of the religion and culture. We will be learning about Israel and the Jewish religion and customs. In all areas of the world, religion has a large impact on culture as it does in the United States. We will study the basic principles of several religions the next few weeks.
All students have been given a calendar for May with important dates. Thursday May 1st is Math TAKS for ninth graders. We will have a holiday May 26 for Memorial Day.
Exams start with 1st period on Tuesday the 27. Classes 2, 4, 6, will have exams on Wednesday and we will have early release at noon with a regular 3:10pm bus run. The last day of school is Thursday, exams 3, 5, and 7 will be taken and noon release will also take place.
We will start our World Geography review on Monday the 19th of May.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Rwanda
To find out the details and what happened after 1994 Rwanda look on the PBS Frontline site. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/ghosts/ There is an interview with the Canadian UN General who was in charge, played by Nick Notle in the movie Hotel Rwanda. The first video shows he and his wife as they travel back to Rwanda ten years after the massacre.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Study of Africa
Now we are starting to look at problems in Africa. I have posted a web page for you all to look at. There is a letter that you can send to try and help. Don't stop with this site. Explore! You have the world at your fingertips. Use them! You can learn a lot about current events on the Internet! When you find a web site that interest you post it on the blog so we can all share. If something makes you happy, mad or sad share with all of us. Your findings might just guide our lesson and touch others. I will post more sites that might help you as I find them. If you want to tell us about a movie that portrays the events that are going on in Africa or in other countries around the world tell everyone so we can watch it too!
Extra points will be given for relavent information or disscussions!
http://www.eyesondarfur.org/
Extra points will be given for relavent information or disscussions!
http://www.eyesondarfur.org/
Monday, February 11, 2008
Chapter 17 Section 3 Greece
Chapter 17 Section 3
Greece
Greece does not fit into any single regional group, but best fits with Mediterranean Europe.
Greece has geographical and historical ties to the Mediterranean
Greece is the birthplace of a culture that reached full expression in Western Europe
Greece
Greece includes about 2,000 islands
The northern mountains are extensions of the Dinaric Alps
Southern Greece is product of tectonic forces
Where Eurasian tectonic plate meets the African Plate
Major faults thrust some lands up and caused some to sink
Grabens – areas of land that have dropped down between faults and were flooded
The Aegean Sea to the east of Greek mainland occupies a graben
Economic Activities
Greece is covered by mountains and rocky soil
The tallest peak is Mount Olympus at 9,570 feet
Parallel ranges make travel difficult
Narrow coastal plains
Grow wheat and other grains
Olive and citrus groves
Agriculture is important economic activity
On rugged slopes frames graze sheep and goats
Overgrazing has caused soil erosion
Athens
Greek capitol
Located in part of country called Sterea Hellas
The Acropolis has stood on the hill that overlooks Athens for thousands of years
1/3 of the population of Greece live around Athens
Population of Greece is 10.5 million
Shipping
Five miles south of Athens is the Port of Piraeus
No point is Greece is more than 85 miles from the sea
The port has one of the world’s largest commercial shipping fleets
Shipbuilding is a major industries
The sea allows Greece to maintain contact with its many islands most in the Aegean Sea
The largest island is Crete – south of the mainland in the Mediterranean Sea
Less than 200 of the islands are inhabitable
Tourism continues to grow as a major economic activity
Understanding the Past
Greece’s appeal to visitors is in its rich history
Crete holds many mysteries
3,500 years ago it was the center of Greece’s flourishing Bronze Age culture
The culture was the Minoan after Minos the legendary king of Crete
The Minoans traveled and traded throughout the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas
Around 1,500 B.C. Minoan culture fell in to decline
There are several theories to what happened to them
Earthquakes
Attacks
Tsunamis
And fires
Cultural Influences
Cultural Convergence
Greece may be considered a Western nation because its culture has so many roots in ancient Greece
Western ideas about democratic government are based on Greek ideals
The Iliad and Odyssey are Homer’s epic pomes about The Trojan War and fall of Troy
Cooperation and Conflict
Other cultures put their stamp on Greece usually through military conquest
2nd century B.C. to 5th A.D. Greece was part of the Roman Empire
As it declined Greece became part of the Byzantine Empire
The next thousand years Greece was invaded from all sides
Slavs, Albanians, and Bulgarians came from the north
Arabs from the south
Normans and Venetians from the west
1453 Turks conquered Constantinople (Istanbul) and ruled Greece for four centuries
Greece gained its independence from Turkey in 1829
Greece
Greece does not fit into any single regional group, but best fits with Mediterranean Europe.
Greece has geographical and historical ties to the Mediterranean
Greece is the birthplace of a culture that reached full expression in Western Europe
Greece
Greece includes about 2,000 islands
The northern mountains are extensions of the Dinaric Alps
Southern Greece is product of tectonic forces
Where Eurasian tectonic plate meets the African Plate
Major faults thrust some lands up and caused some to sink
Grabens – areas of land that have dropped down between faults and were flooded
The Aegean Sea to the east of Greek mainland occupies a graben
Economic Activities
Greece is covered by mountains and rocky soil
The tallest peak is Mount Olympus at 9,570 feet
Parallel ranges make travel difficult
Narrow coastal plains
Grow wheat and other grains
Olive and citrus groves
Agriculture is important economic activity
On rugged slopes frames graze sheep and goats
Overgrazing has caused soil erosion
Athens
Greek capitol
Located in part of country called Sterea Hellas
The Acropolis has stood on the hill that overlooks Athens for thousands of years
1/3 of the population of Greece live around Athens
Population of Greece is 10.5 million
Shipping
Five miles south of Athens is the Port of Piraeus
No point is Greece is more than 85 miles from the sea
The port has one of the world’s largest commercial shipping fleets
Shipbuilding is a major industries
The sea allows Greece to maintain contact with its many islands most in the Aegean Sea
The largest island is Crete – south of the mainland in the Mediterranean Sea
Less than 200 of the islands are inhabitable
Tourism continues to grow as a major economic activity
Understanding the Past
Greece’s appeal to visitors is in its rich history
Crete holds many mysteries
3,500 years ago it was the center of Greece’s flourishing Bronze Age culture
The culture was the Minoan after Minos the legendary king of Crete
The Minoans traveled and traded throughout the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas
Around 1,500 B.C. Minoan culture fell in to decline
There are several theories to what happened to them
Earthquakes
Attacks
Tsunamis
And fires
Cultural Influences
Cultural Convergence
Greece may be considered a Western nation because its culture has so many roots in ancient Greece
Western ideas about democratic government are based on Greek ideals
The Iliad and Odyssey are Homer’s epic pomes about The Trojan War and fall of Troy
Cooperation and Conflict
Other cultures put their stamp on Greece usually through military conquest
2nd century B.C. to 5th A.D. Greece was part of the Roman Empire
As it declined Greece became part of the Byzantine Empire
The next thousand years Greece was invaded from all sides
Slavs, Albanians, and Bulgarians came from the north
Arabs from the south
Normans and Venetians from the west
1453 Turks conquered Constantinople (Istanbul) and ruled Greece for four centuries
Greece gained its independence from Turkey in 1829
Sunday, February 10, 2008
chapter 17 section 2 Italy
Chapter 17 sec.2
Italy
Italy
The giant boot in the Mediterranean Sea
People and Environment
Italy is formed around the Apennine Mountains
The Range begins in the Northwest and arcs all the way down the Italian Peninsula
Highest peas are 10,000 feet above sea level
They cover much to the peninsula
Has a narrow coastal plain that is the only flat land
Young mountain range with a lot of seismic activity
The Aeolian Island off the southern toe of Italy and the island of Sicily have had recent volcanic eruptions
Sicily’s Mount Etna erupted in 2001
Environmental Change
The Alps run from east to west across the entire northern boundary of Italy
The tall peaks block the moisture from the North Atlantic
Italy’s climate is Mediterranean with hot and dry summers and mild wet winters
Soil has eroded on the hillsides from overgrazing of sheep and goats
Italy relied heavily on agriculture as late as 1960 with 1/3 of the population working on farms
Only 10% of the population work in agriculture
Migration
Population of 58 million
Populated are very crowded due to the mountainous land
High unemployment in the rural areas
Since WWII many people have migrated from poor southern regions to the northern provinces to find jobs
Economic Activities
The Italian government has encouraged development in recent years
Automobiles, home appliances, and other metal goods
Helped form the European Union – helped its economy by reaching a larger market
The Regions of Italy
After the fall of the Roman Empire the country became a lot of little separate political units
Christianity spared and the Roman Catholic Church gained control over large amounts of land
In 1861 the states in the northern part of the peninsula joined together to form the country of Italy and the others joined within a decade
Striking differences exist among its regions
Distinct local character in smaller regions
Easley divided into three large sections
Northern, central and southern Italy
Northern Italy
Called European Italy – located close the rest of Europe
Resemble central
European countries more than the other provinces
Heart of northern Italy is the Po River Valley
A broad plain between the Alps and Apennines
Po River Valley
Italy’s most productive agricultural area
Wheat and rice
Important center of commercial industry
2/3 of Italy’s factories
Industrial development focused on the cities of Milan and Turin
Hydroelectricity from rives in the Alps power the factories
Genoa is now a thriving port city
Ski resorts in the Alps
Dairy farms
Flooding around Venice has stunted the agricultural industry
Venice faces problems of pollution and subsidence
Geological phenomenon in which the ground in an area sinks
Venice is popular with tourist
Was built in the late Middle Ages by Venetian traders
Central Italy
Consist of Rome and the surrounding regions
Once controlled by the Roman Catholic Church
In late 1800’s chosen as the capital
1. location was central
2. was the capital of the Roman Empire and its history symbolized the past glory
The ruins of the Colosseum still stand
The forum is still there were the public meetings were held
Vatican City is with in the city of Rome
Less than 1 square mile
World headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church
Less than one thousand people live in Vatican City
Many visitors to St Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican Museums
Bologna is a leading agricultural center know for its variety of foods
Florence is a cultural center
Michelangelo and other Italian painters during the Renaissance
Renaissance started in Italy in 1300’s and spread to Europe
Southern Italy
Known as the Mezzogiorno -midday
And includes the islands of Sicily and Sardinia
This region has an intense noontime sun
Poor soil and outdated farming techniques make agriculture not profitable
Some heavy industries came after WWII
Many migrated to northern Italy
Some southern Italians have moved to Naples the largest city in the region
Port city has some of the worst poverty in Europe
Italy
Italy
The giant boot in the Mediterranean Sea
People and Environment
Italy is formed around the Apennine Mountains
The Range begins in the Northwest and arcs all the way down the Italian Peninsula
Highest peas are 10,000 feet above sea level
They cover much to the peninsula
Has a narrow coastal plain that is the only flat land
Young mountain range with a lot of seismic activity
The Aeolian Island off the southern toe of Italy and the island of Sicily have had recent volcanic eruptions
Sicily’s Mount Etna erupted in 2001
Environmental Change
The Alps run from east to west across the entire northern boundary of Italy
The tall peaks block the moisture from the North Atlantic
Italy’s climate is Mediterranean with hot and dry summers and mild wet winters
Soil has eroded on the hillsides from overgrazing of sheep and goats
Italy relied heavily on agriculture as late as 1960 with 1/3 of the population working on farms
Only 10% of the population work in agriculture
Migration
Population of 58 million
Populated are very crowded due to the mountainous land
High unemployment in the rural areas
Since WWII many people have migrated from poor southern regions to the northern provinces to find jobs
Economic Activities
The Italian government has encouraged development in recent years
Automobiles, home appliances, and other metal goods
Helped form the European Union – helped its economy by reaching a larger market
The Regions of Italy
After the fall of the Roman Empire the country became a lot of little separate political units
Christianity spared and the Roman Catholic Church gained control over large amounts of land
In 1861 the states in the northern part of the peninsula joined together to form the country of Italy and the others joined within a decade
Striking differences exist among its regions
Distinct local character in smaller regions
Easley divided into three large sections
Northern, central and southern Italy
Northern Italy
Called European Italy – located close the rest of Europe
Resemble central
European countries more than the other provinces
Heart of northern Italy is the Po River Valley
A broad plain between the Alps and Apennines
Po River Valley
Italy’s most productive agricultural area
Wheat and rice
Important center of commercial industry
2/3 of Italy’s factories
Industrial development focused on the cities of Milan and Turin
Hydroelectricity from rives in the Alps power the factories
Genoa is now a thriving port city
Ski resorts in the Alps
Dairy farms
Flooding around Venice has stunted the agricultural industry
Venice faces problems of pollution and subsidence
Geological phenomenon in which the ground in an area sinks
Venice is popular with tourist
Was built in the late Middle Ages by Venetian traders
Central Italy
Consist of Rome and the surrounding regions
Once controlled by the Roman Catholic Church
In late 1800’s chosen as the capital
1. location was central
2. was the capital of the Roman Empire and its history symbolized the past glory
The ruins of the Colosseum still stand
The forum is still there were the public meetings were held
Vatican City is with in the city of Rome
Less than 1 square mile
World headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church
Less than one thousand people live in Vatican City
Many visitors to St Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican Museums
Bologna is a leading agricultural center know for its variety of foods
Florence is a cultural center
Michelangelo and other Italian painters during the Renaissance
Renaissance started in Italy in 1300’s and spread to Europe
Southern Italy
Known as the Mezzogiorno -midday
And includes the islands of Sicily and Sardinia
This region has an intense noontime sun
Poor soil and outdated farming techniques make agriculture not profitable
Some heavy industries came after WWII
Many migrated to northern Italy
Some southern Italians have moved to Naples the largest city in the region
Port city has some of the worst poverty in Europe
Chapter 17 sec. 1
Chapter 17Mediterranean Europe
Section 1
Spain
Iberian Peninsula on southwestern edge of Europe
Separates the waters of Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea
Pyrenees Mountains separates the rest of Europe from the Iberian Peninsula
Two countries on peninsula Spain and Portugal
Spain
A castle is on Spain’s coat of arms
The castle is a symbol of Spain
Represents Castile and the hundreds of years of war
Castile was on the Christian kingdom that fought the Muslim Moors
Expelled in 1492
After 700 years of war
Geographical Spin is well guarded
Pyrenees Mountains block easy passage from the rest of Europe
Steep cliffs rise from the water along large stretches of coastline
Coastal plains are very narrow
High plateaus cover most of Spain
Called the Meseta Spanish for "plateau"
Only one navigable river
Climates
Most of Spain has a Mediterranean climate with mild, rainy winters and hot dry summers
Moist Atlantic winds rise of the Cantabrian Mountains along northern coast
Meseta is in rain shadow and is drier
Grow wheat or barley
Practice dry farming methods
Parts of southeastern Spain are much drier
Have semiarid climate caused from Siroccos – hot dry winds from northern Africa
Irrigation to grow citrus fruits and olive trees near Valencia and Barcelona
Economic Activities
Shifted from agriculture to new industries recently
Major export is transportation equipment
Major industrial center is in north around Bilbao
Barcelona the largest port is center for manufacturing
Spain suffers from high unemployment
Patterns of Settlement
Madrid is capital and largest city
King Phillip II made it his capital in 1561
Reason – health issues or central location
Madrid became the HUB of Spain
Migrants from poor farming areas moved to city
Metropolis is about 3 million
Pollution and heavy traffic
Cultural Divergence
Spain has had over five hundred years of central control
The region’s hold on to their strong independent identities
Basque – north Spain less than 1 million
Richest area
Different than any other European language
Strong tradition of cultural divergence
Protect their culture from outside influences
Have limited autonomy
Some want total independence from Spain
Catalonia – near Barcelona use Catalan language and want greater use of it
Portugal
Small – about the size of Indiana
Northeastern corner is mountainous
Land slopes toward Atlantic
Gets 20 inches of rain annually
Farm – wheat, corn, and barley
Olive oil from south
Port wine in northern valleys in Oporto
Cork is also a major export
Global Trade Patterns
Became independent nation in 1143
Became a trading nation
Capital city is Lisbon and is a port
In 15th century established many trading colonies
Made a treaty with Spain that gave Portugal control of large parts of Africa and Brazil and Spain took the rest of Latin America
Planning for the Future
Was based on agriculture but now economy is moving towards technology
Literacy rate of only 87%
Section 1
Spain
Iberian Peninsula on southwestern edge of Europe
Separates the waters of Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea
Pyrenees Mountains separates the rest of Europe from the Iberian Peninsula
Two countries on peninsula Spain and Portugal
Spain
A castle is on Spain’s coat of arms
The castle is a symbol of Spain
Represents Castile and the hundreds of years of war
Castile was on the Christian kingdom that fought the Muslim Moors
Expelled in 1492
After 700 years of war
Geographical Spin is well guarded
Pyrenees Mountains block easy passage from the rest of Europe
Steep cliffs rise from the water along large stretches of coastline
Coastal plains are very narrow
High plateaus cover most of Spain
Called the Meseta Spanish for "plateau"
Only one navigable river
Climates
Most of Spain has a Mediterranean climate with mild, rainy winters and hot dry summers
Moist Atlantic winds rise of the Cantabrian Mountains along northern coast
Meseta is in rain shadow and is drier
Grow wheat or barley
Practice dry farming methods
Parts of southeastern Spain are much drier
Have semiarid climate caused from Siroccos – hot dry winds from northern Africa
Irrigation to grow citrus fruits and olive trees near Valencia and Barcelona
Economic Activities
Shifted from agriculture to new industries recently
Major export is transportation equipment
Major industrial center is in north around Bilbao
Barcelona the largest port is center for manufacturing
Spain suffers from high unemployment
Patterns of Settlement
Madrid is capital and largest city
King Phillip II made it his capital in 1561
Reason – health issues or central location
Madrid became the HUB of Spain
Migrants from poor farming areas moved to city
Metropolis is about 3 million
Pollution and heavy traffic
Cultural Divergence
Spain has had over five hundred years of central control
The region’s hold on to their strong independent identities
Basque – north Spain less than 1 million
Richest area
Different than any other European language
Strong tradition of cultural divergence
Protect their culture from outside influences
Have limited autonomy
Some want total independence from Spain
Catalonia – near Barcelona use Catalan language and want greater use of it
Portugal
Small – about the size of Indiana
Northeastern corner is mountainous
Land slopes toward Atlantic
Gets 20 inches of rain annually
Farm – wheat, corn, and barley
Olive oil from south
Port wine in northern valleys in Oporto
Cork is also a major export
Global Trade Patterns
Became independent nation in 1143
Became a trading nation
Capital city is Lisbon and is a port
In 15th century established many trading colonies
Made a treaty with Spain that gave Portugal control of large parts of Africa and Brazil and Spain took the rest of Latin America
Planning for the Future
Was based on agriculture but now economy is moving towards technology
Literacy rate of only 87%
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Chapter 16 sec 2 Germany
Chapter16 Section 2
Germany
Germany
Thursday November 9, 1989 thousands of East and West Berliners gathered along the Berlin wall because the East German government announced the borders would be opened
Germany’s Struggle for Unity
103 mile-long wall built in 1961 by Communist East German government to keep its citizens from escaping to West Germany
Germany has history of being one of divisions and unifications for centuries
Divided German States
The area of Germany was part of Charlemagne's Holy Roman Empire
When he died Germany broke up into small independent political units
Ruled by princes, dukes, bishops
Often bitter rivalry and fighting among states
1500’s Protestant Reformation divided the German states more
Protestants objected to practices and teachings of the Roman Catholic Church
In 1600’s Reformation sparked 30 years of warfare between Protestants and Catholics
In late 1700’s state of Prussia (now eastern Germany) led movement to merge many German states into a single confederation
Germany defeated France in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871
The independent German states then joined the German Empire
United Germany’s Defeats
1882 Germany joined Austria-Hungary and Italy to form military alliance called Triple Alliance
World War I 1914-1918 the alliance fought against France, Russia, the United Kingdom and United States
Germany defeated and had to pay reparations to the victors
Germany suffered economically and in early 1920’s inflation ruined value of Germany’s currency
1929 worldwide economic depression left millions of Germans unemployed
1930’s Adolf Hitler and his Nazi party came into power
Hitler promised to restore Germany’s past glory and the economy
Blamed Jews and others he considered to be racially inferior for Germany’s problems
1939 Germany invaded Poland and started World War II
Hitler had ,millions of Jew, Poles, Gypsies, Slavs and others killed in concentration camps
April 1945 Germany was defeated by the Allied Countries- USA, UK, France, and Soviet Union
One People, Two countries
After WWII tensions grew between the Western Allies and Soviet Union over Germany’s future
1949 Western leaders established the democratic country of the Federal Republic of Germany –Western Germany
The Soviet Union set up Communist German Democratic Republic – East Germany
Berlin the capital was located in East Germany
American, British and French forces remained in western half of city and became part of West Germany
U.S. – Check Point Charlie
40 years Germany remained divided between East and West
In late 1989 demonstrations calling for democracy swept through Eastern Europe
It overturned East Germany’s Communist government
The new East German government announced it would open the borders
Within weeks large sections of the Berlin Wall the symblol of a divided Germany were destroyed
October 3, 1990 East and West Germany were officially reunited
Physical Characteristics
Physical regions are varied
Three bands that extend across the country
High craggy mountains to south
Hills, low peaks and plateaus in central
North flat lands
Generally mild climate due to influence of the North Sea
In southern areas humid continental climate with colder winters and warmer summers
Plains, Rivers, and Cities
Northern Germany covered by Northern Germany Plain
Part of European Plain
Hundreds of miles flat, sandy that reach North Sea and Baltic Sea
Wide rivers flow north out of highlands across the pains to the sea
Most of the plains are farmed but manufacturing and trade are important
Hamburg the largest port and second-largest city built around a harbor where the Elbe River flows into North Sea
Leading center of trade
Rostock a port is tribute toe German achievement after WWII
East Germany cut it connections with West Germany it lost its ports
Dug a new harbor crating a major port on Baltic Sea at Rostock
Berlin the capital and largest city was badly damaged during WWII
It was rebuilt
Today it is prosperous
Natural Resources and Industry
2 major Rivers – Rhine and Elbe flow through central Germany
This region is one of the most important industrial center in the world
1880’s coal deposits were found near Ruhr River
The Ruhr Valley became the first industrial center in Germany
Today it produces most of Germany iron and steel, important chemical and textile
More than 8 million people live in Duisburg, Essen, Bochum and Dortmund and smaller cites forming a huge metropolis
Eastern Part of central Germany another large industrial region
Steel, machinery, automobiles, and textiles
Power comes from lignite – pollutes air heavily
Some people in central Germany lives in small cities such as Frankfurt the banking center and Heidelberg world-famous university
Scenic Southern Germany
Southern border are the Bavarian Alps
North of the Alps land is less mountainous
Rhine and Danube rivers flow through the hilly land
Skiers and hikers enjoy the scenery
Munich is the larges city in southern Germany
Much was destroyed during WWII but has been rebuilt
Germany in the World Today
1999 Germany was the leading industrial country in Western Europe
3rd most technologically powerful economy (after US and Japan)
Leading member of the European Union
Faces several problems
Aging population
Puts strain on social security
$100 billion spent to upgrade the economy of eastern lands that were under Communist control
Unemployment, violence against foreign workers, pollution to environment
Germany
Germany
Thursday November 9, 1989 thousands of East and West Berliners gathered along the Berlin wall because the East German government announced the borders would be opened
Germany’s Struggle for Unity
103 mile-long wall built in 1961 by Communist East German government to keep its citizens from escaping to West Germany
Germany has history of being one of divisions and unifications for centuries
Divided German States
The area of Germany was part of Charlemagne's Holy Roman Empire
When he died Germany broke up into small independent political units
Ruled by princes, dukes, bishops
Often bitter rivalry and fighting among states
1500’s Protestant Reformation divided the German states more
Protestants objected to practices and teachings of the Roman Catholic Church
In 1600’s Reformation sparked 30 years of warfare between Protestants and Catholics
In late 1700’s state of Prussia (now eastern Germany) led movement to merge many German states into a single confederation
Germany defeated France in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871
The independent German states then joined the German Empire
United Germany’s Defeats
1882 Germany joined Austria-Hungary and Italy to form military alliance called Triple Alliance
World War I 1914-1918 the alliance fought against France, Russia, the United Kingdom and United States
Germany defeated and had to pay reparations to the victors
Germany suffered economically and in early 1920’s inflation ruined value of Germany’s currency
1929 worldwide economic depression left millions of Germans unemployed
1930’s Adolf Hitler and his Nazi party came into power
Hitler promised to restore Germany’s past glory and the economy
Blamed Jews and others he considered to be racially inferior for Germany’s problems
1939 Germany invaded Poland and started World War II
Hitler had ,millions of Jew, Poles, Gypsies, Slavs and others killed in concentration camps
April 1945 Germany was defeated by the Allied Countries- USA, UK, France, and Soviet Union
One People, Two countries
After WWII tensions grew between the Western Allies and Soviet Union over Germany’s future
1949 Western leaders established the democratic country of the Federal Republic of Germany –Western Germany
The Soviet Union set up Communist German Democratic Republic – East Germany
Berlin the capital was located in East Germany
American, British and French forces remained in western half of city and became part of West Germany
U.S. – Check Point Charlie
40 years Germany remained divided between East and West
In late 1989 demonstrations calling for democracy swept through Eastern Europe
It overturned East Germany’s Communist government
The new East German government announced it would open the borders
Within weeks large sections of the Berlin Wall the symblol of a divided Germany were destroyed
October 3, 1990 East and West Germany were officially reunited
Physical Characteristics
Physical regions are varied
Three bands that extend across the country
High craggy mountains to south
Hills, low peaks and plateaus in central
North flat lands
Generally mild climate due to influence of the North Sea
In southern areas humid continental climate with colder winters and warmer summers
Plains, Rivers, and Cities
Northern Germany covered by Northern Germany Plain
Part of European Plain
Hundreds of miles flat, sandy that reach North Sea and Baltic Sea
Wide rivers flow north out of highlands across the pains to the sea
Most of the plains are farmed but manufacturing and trade are important
Hamburg the largest port and second-largest city built around a harbor where the Elbe River flows into North Sea
Leading center of trade
Rostock a port is tribute toe German achievement after WWII
East Germany cut it connections with West Germany it lost its ports
Dug a new harbor crating a major port on Baltic Sea at Rostock
Berlin the capital and largest city was badly damaged during WWII
It was rebuilt
Today it is prosperous
Natural Resources and Industry
2 major Rivers – Rhine and Elbe flow through central Germany
This region is one of the most important industrial center in the world
1880’s coal deposits were found near Ruhr River
The Ruhr Valley became the first industrial center in Germany
Today it produces most of Germany iron and steel, important chemical and textile
More than 8 million people live in Duisburg, Essen, Bochum and Dortmund and smaller cites forming a huge metropolis
Eastern Part of central Germany another large industrial region
Steel, machinery, automobiles, and textiles
Power comes from lignite – pollutes air heavily
Some people in central Germany lives in small cities such as Frankfurt the banking center and Heidelberg world-famous university
Scenic Southern Germany
Southern border are the Bavarian Alps
North of the Alps land is less mountainous
Rhine and Danube rivers flow through the hilly land
Skiers and hikers enjoy the scenery
Munich is the larges city in southern Germany
Much was destroyed during WWII but has been rebuilt
Germany in the World Today
1999 Germany was the leading industrial country in Western Europe
3rd most technologically powerful economy (after US and Japan)
Leading member of the European Union
Faces several problems
Aging population
Puts strain on social security
$100 billion spent to upgrade the economy of eastern lands that were under Communist control
Unemployment, violence against foreign workers, pollution to environment
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